No Meeting Held Between India’s EAM Jaishankar and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Yunus During Dhaka Visit

Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar were both present in Dhaka on Wednesday for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, but no meeting or direct interaction took place between the two leaders.

Jaishankar, on his first visit to Bangladesh since the Yunus-led interim government came to power in August 2024, limited his engagements to paying respects to the late BNP chairperson and meeting her son, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. During the courtesy call, Jaishankar handed over a condolence letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed India’s sympathies.

The absence of any bilateral engagement between Jaishankar and Yunus highlights the continuing strain in India-Bangladesh relations. New Delhi has repeatedly expressed serious concern over the safety and security of minority communities, particularly Hindus, under the interim administration, citing numerous reported incidents of violence, attacks on places of worship, and targeted assaults since August 2024.

Indian officials and analysts view the decision to engage only with the BNP leadership rather than the interim government as a deliberate signal of India’s discomfort with the current dispensation in Dhaka. The visit is seen as strategic outreach to the opposition ahead of Bangladesh’s anticipated national elections in early 2026.

The funeral proceedings at Manik Mia Avenue saw both Yunus and Jaishankar among regional dignitaries, but sources confirm no protocol-level exchange occurred between them.